The eyes hide the truth
by UnbalancedTruth
Summary: What if Sakura Haruno never existed ? What if - instead of experiencing the love of the slightly temperamental but kind kunoichi - the two remaining members of Team 7 cross paths with the ever so mysterious, Maeda Atsuko. A story about friendship, and possibly something more. Set in pre-Shippuden time, in other words, the true forming of Team 7. Stick around and enjoy !


**Tidbits; This will be my first Naruto fan fic which I decided on writing on an impulse so please, by all means, give me as many pointers and tips as you can. Also, any questions you may have regarding the first chapter, you can, either PM me or leave a note in the reviews. Both will be greatly appreciated. Lastly, I own none of the characters or plot line regarding Naruto, save my OC.**

**Please enjoy this chapter !**

******What if Sakura Haruno never existed ? What if - instead of experiencing the love of the slightly temperamental but kind kunoichi - the two remaining members of Team 7 cross paths with the ever so mysterious, Maeda Atsuko. A story about friendship, and possibly something more. Set in pre-Shippuden time, in other words, the true forming of Team 7.**

**Chapter 1**

**-Unneeded information-**

_"I've always thought there was something more to simply living. I'm still alive. And yet nothing's changing."_

-Maeda Atsuko-

* * *

"Sasuke-teme, keep to your side of the bench !"

A greatly displeased blonde boy exclaimed with furrowed brows, tapping the stale paint cowering the wooden bench, expressing his clear distaste.

"There's no 'my side of the bench', dobe."

The slightly more cultivated raven-haired boy remarked back to the blonde, throwing his feet over the bench. Honestly, how childish could that idiot be.

"Damn it, Sasuke ! I'll kick your ass !"

"I'd like to see you try, ditz."

"You know what ! I've had enough of your stu - "

"Now, now..."

Both males were interrupted ever so suddenly by the approaching adult, more precisely mask-bearing silver-haired man, eye-smiling in clear amusement at his future students' squabble. As much as he would have preferred observing their little bickering from afar, now, he had more important things to attend to and that required his full and undivided attention. Well...for now, let's leave it at that. He was a civilized member of society, after all.

"Aren't you going to welcome your new team member ?"

"What team, Kakashi-sensei ?"

"Future team member. Possibly."

"You know what he meant, dobe."

"I knew that, you idiot !"

"More importantly, sensei, where is this team member."

Narrowing an eye at the two boys, the man turned around, only to be faced by air. Wait. She was here a few moments ago. He was sure of it. Hell, he had remembered to check himself for the girl. So where...

Raising his gaze at the disappearing flutter of reddish-orange locks, the man sighed in exasperation, before gesturing towards himself to the cowering girl hidden behind the nearby thee.

"Come over here."

As per her future sensei's orders, though somewhat hesitatingly, the girl approached the group of three, making sure to take her spot behind the silver-haired man's frame. Hey, at least she was trying. Commend her at least for that.

"Now why don't you introduce yourself. This here is Uzumaki Naruto."

The man said gesturing towards the blonde boy who in returne just stared curiously at the girl desperately avoiding his gaze. After a few moments, his lips curled into a smile and ultimately a grin, basically beaming at the girl.

"Yo ! How are ya ?"

He stretched his hand, thumbing towards himself with sheer cheerfulness.

"Future Hokage."

The girl said nothing in return but simply continued trembling under the silver-haired one's wing.

"And this here is Uchiha - "

The man continued on, pointing towards the raven-haired boy who had stated quiet up until now.

"Stupid Sasuke."

Naruto immediately cut in with a scowl, imitating Sasuke's expression.

Paying no attention to the blonde, Sasuke remained without a word, obviously expecting something out of the girl.

"Now you introduce yourself."

Kakashi added shortly after, nudging the hidden girl's side.

A brief moment spent in utter shock, the girl finally budged from her spot and stepped forward, albeit on unsteady feet.

She didn't dare look up at either of the males.

Pursing her lips, she focused on twirling her fingers in-between her sleeves.

_Don't look at me._

"A-ano...s-sono...um...A-atsuko...to moushimasu."  
_-Very formal way of introducing oneself-_

For the next few seconds, all that remained between the group of three was silence. Both males completely dumbstruck, one's reaction more obvious than the other. Naruto, eyes widened in surprise, stood up abruptly, approaching the female and squatting down - all in one motion - to look up at Atsuko's face. Mouth slightly opened in an idiotic manner, the blonde continued staring before the red-hair's trembling popped him out of his trance.

What was this ?

How...how...HOW ?

_"Cute..."_

Awe-struck, Naruto turned back towards Sasuke.

No, that weapon-maniac wouldn't understand the bliss that is youth !

Blinking once, he looking beside Atsuko to the staring Kakashi who upon seeing the blonde's sparkling eyes, only eye smiled.

_"Yes Naruto, that is the bliss of youth."_

"Your face seems similar. I've seen you before."

Sasuke finally spoke up, sliding from his seat and onto his feet and approaching the girl ever so cautiously.

"I know you."

A bit taken aback by his words, the girl remained silent but this time, looked him straight in the eye. Sasuke found himself staring back, his pitch black hues staring across from her. He'd never admit it, but for a split second, he wondered what she was exactly. Those eyes held a certain tinge in them that he could see in were a mixture of turquoise and something he couldn't pique.

"Last week. That was you, wasn't it."

"..."

"Wasn't it."

Atsuko shifted uncomfortably, shuffling back towards the silver-haired jounin's position and grabbing hold of his sleeve. The oncoming wind sent her hair fluttering in the air and, for a moment, Sasuke could feel a stare being cast upon him. He couldn't pin-point the intent behind it but, he was certain it wasn't something he had sensed before.

_"Fear the unknown."_

What could she say.

What was she supposed to say.

There was nothing she _could_ say.

Because she knew...knew it was the truth.

***Let us retrace back to last week***

"My first impression is...how should I say it...I don't like you guys !"

This was the first sentence the tall silver-haired jounin exclaimed after having an eraser dropped onto his head - another one of Naruto Uzumaki's childish traps - and to say he had left his new two students dumb-founded was an understatement.

After arriving at the meeting spot, the pair of three took a seat and immediately, although somehow begrudgingly - from what Uzumaki Naruto could tell - the jounin started his late introduction. It was short, it was late and it had absolutely no impact on either of them. Was that how a sensei was supposed to act ? On top of that a jounin ? There had to be something wrong with him. Definitely. Or it just didn't make sense.

After going through both of his students' introductions, the careless jounin poofed off somewhere, saying 'he had some important business to take care of'. All a bunch of bull, if Naruto was concerned. They were bound to get _absolutely_ no where with that stupid man's guide.

"I don't like that guy. On top of that, he's a pervert."

Don't think Naruto didn't notice the latest volume of Icha Icha Paradise drooping from the man's pockets.

"And his mask is annoying."

Really ! What the hell was up with that ? Was that a fashion thing ! Cause it didn't look cool at all. Actually, it just looked stupid.

"And his hair is stupid."

Stupid hair.

"I don't like anything about hi - "

"Urusai, kono boke."  
_"Shut up, you idiot."_

"Anta no koso ! Kono baka tako !"  
_"The same goes for you ! You stupid octopus* !"_  
(What Naruto says here doesn't really make sense because he basically says stupid twice.)

"How high is your IQ ?"

"IT'S HIGHER THAN YOURS !"

"That's technically impossible. Don't talk fantasy, dobe."

"You..."

Both boys went silent, staring down at each-other with flaming eyes, one making it a bit more obvious than the other.

However, what Naruto failed to notice, was the pair of glittering turquoise eyes staring down at their mindless bickering. The eyes held a certain curiousness to them that would have been impossible to decipher.

If it wasn't Uchiha Sasuke who noticed them, that is.

***Back to the present***

"That was you watching us, wasn't it."

"A-ano...I didn't really..."

"It was."

"Stupid-Sasuke, it obviously couldn't have been her. Right, Atsuko-chan* ?"  
(A really informal way to adress someone. It basically means you're very close to that person and\or you consider them important.)

"E-eh..?"

"Now, now. Seeing as introductions are over with, how about we get this test started ? Sasuke, Naruto, Ma-...Atsuko. Follow me."

The man said while eye-smiling at them and with a gesture of encouragement, all three moved behind the silver-haired one, following him across the terrain to a spot where three wooden poles stood etched into the ground. This immediately aroused suspicion in the young Uchiha while the other two seemed ignorant.

_"This is why I don't need a team."_

"So, sensei, what is it that we have to do to pass ?"

Naruto blurted out unthinkably whilst the two other students stood silent.

Kakashi raised a hand in the air signaling the energetic blonde to tone it down while he ruffled through his pocket before ultimately pulling out two distinctive bells, both jingling slightly from his grip.

Now all three grew quiet, carefully observing the two bells, Sasuke evidently with more caution. He was beginning to think these two were born to fail. No, Naruto he already knew was a natural failure at life but this girl, Atsuko she was called, was she really as dense as she portrayed herself to be ? He honestly hoped not. One idiot he could fare mildly well with, but two were already crossing the line. He was no babysitter and had no intention of becoming one.

He would pass, no matter the difficulty of the test and, when it came down to it, that was really all that mattered.

"Your task for today is..."

The man finally spoke up after what seemed like an eternity of silence and with those simple words, he already had his students at they edge of their toes.

"Is..."

Naruto tensed, nodding slowly to Kakashi for him to proceed on.

"...to steal these bells from me."

"That's it ?" Naruto questioned.

"That's it. You can use any method that comes to mind. You're free to attack me, you're free to use ninjutsu while I won't. Just get the bells."

Well, now that was unexpected, to say the least. To be completely honest, Naruto had expected more from the man. But bells ? He could deal with bells. More so, he laughed at the very sight of bells. What threat did bells pose to his passing. Which meant...

He woud pass this test.

"Look, Atsuko-chan. The test isn't so bad at all. Right - eh ? A-Atsuko-chan ?"

The red-head was nowhere to be found.

Naruto shifted his gaze back to Kakashi, seemingly confused.

"Uh..."

"She left."

"Uhh..."

"She already knows the task."

"Ah." Naruto turned to leave -

"Chotto, chotto.* I forgot to add something. Whoever fails to get the bells as required will be tied to one of these poles and forced to go without lunch while watching the other two eat."  
(Basically meaning 'wait')

Simple enough, right ?

Think twice.

"W-what ?"

"Now is everybody ready ?"

"Chotto matte, oy !"  
('Wait just a second')

Kakashi raised his hand above his shoulder and waited for the two students to ready themselves, one evidently distressed over this new piece of news. Sasuke was barely phased by this little spec of information. There _were_ two bells, right ? Someone was bound to get the short end of the straw and for some reason, Sasuke could already see the outcome.

"Ready..."

This was going to be a fight of wits, and only two would prevail.

The question was...who was ready to be reckless ?

"Go !"

* * *

**Thank you for reading this far. I'd very much appreciate some feedback, even via PM. Maybe some advice on how to improve the story seeing as this _is_ my first time writing a Naruto-based fan-fic. I wouldn't be surprised if the first chapter was pure and utter shit. Thank you for you patience !**

**Possible scenarios and situations are to be sent via PM for further discussion.**


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